Maternal outcomes after HAART for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission in HIV-infected women in Brazil

Summary of 2021 Clinical Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of HIV/AIDS in HIV-infected Koreans

Since the establishment of the Committee for Clinical Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) by the Korean Society for AIDS in 2010, clinical guidelines have been prepared in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018. As new research findings on the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of AIDS have been published in and outside of Korea along with the development and introduction of new antiretroviral medications, a need has arisen to revise the clinical guidelines by analyzing such new data. The clinical guidelines address the initial evaluation of patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, follow-up tests, appropriate timing of medication, appropriate antiretroviral medications, treatment strategies for patients who have concurrent infections with hepatitis B or C virus, recommendations for resistance testing, treatment for patients with HIV and tuberculosis coinfections, and treatment in pregnant women. Through these clinical guidelines, the Korean Society for AIDS and the Committee for Clinical Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of HIV/AIDS contributes to overcoming AIDS by delivering latest data and treatment strategies to healthcare professionals who treat AIDS in the clinic.

Maternal health outcomes among HIV-infected breastfeeding women with high CD4 counts: results of a treatment strategy trial

BACKGROUND

IMPAACT PROMISE 1077BF/FF was a randomized study of antiretroviral therapy (ART) strategies for pregnant and postpartum women with high CD4+ T-cell counts. We describe postpartum outcomes for women in the study who were randomized to continue or discontinue ART after delivery.

METHODS

Women with pre-ART CD4+ cell counts ≥350 cells/mm3 who started ART during pregnancy were randomized postpartum to continue or discontinue treatment. Women were enrolled from India, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The primary outcome was a composite of progression to AIDS-defining illness or death. Log-rank tests and Cox regression models assessed treatment effects. Incidence rates were calculated per 100 person-years. A post hoc analysis evaluated WHO Stage 2/3 events. All analyses were intent-to-treat.

FINDINGS

1611 women were enrolled (June 2011-October 2014) and 95% were breastfeeding. Median age at entry was 27 years, CD4+ count 728 cells/mm3 and the majority of women were Black African (97%). After a median follow-up of 1.6 years, progression to AIDS-defining illness or death was rare and there was no significant difference between arms (HR: 0·55; 95%CI 0·14, 2·08, p = 0.37). WHO Stage 2/3 events were reduced with continued ART (HR: 0·60; 95%CI 0·39, 0·90, p = 0.01). The arms did not differ with respect to the rate of grade 2, 3, or 4 safety events (p = 0.61).

INTERPRETATION

Serious clinical events were rare among predominately breastfeeding women with high CD4+ cell counts over 18 months after delivery. ART had significant benefit in reducing WHO 2/3 events in this population.

Postnatal retention in HIV care: insight from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study over a 15-year observational period

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to quantify loss to follow-up (LTFU) in HIV care after delivery and to identify risk factors for LTFU, and implications for HIV disease progression and subsequent pregnancies.

METHODS

We used data on pregnancies within the Swiss HIV Cohort Study from 1996 to 2011. A delayed clinical visit was defined as > 180 days and LTFU as no visit for > 365 days after delivery. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for LTFU.

RESULTS

A total of 695 pregnancies in 580 women were included in the study, of which 115 (17%) were subsequent pregnancies. Median maternal age was 32 years (IQR 28-36 years) and 104 (15%) women reported any history of injecting drug use (IDU). Overall, 233 of 695 (34%) women had a delayed visit in the year after delivery and 84 (12%) women were lost to follow-up. Being lost to follow-up was significantly associated with a history of IDU [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.79; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32-5.88; P = 0.007] and not achieving an undetectable HIV viral load (VL) at delivery (aOR 2.42; 95% CI 1.21-4.85; P = 0.017) after adjusting for maternal age, ethnicity and being on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at conception. Forty-three of 84 (55%) women returned to care after LTFU. Half of them (20 of 41) with available CD4 had a CD4 count < 350 cells/μL and 15% (six of 41) a CD4 count < 200 cells/μL at their return.

CONCLUSIONS

A history of IDU and detectable HIV VL at delivery were associated with LTFU. Effective strategies are warranted to retain women in care beyond pregnancy and to avoid CD4 cell count decline. ART continuation should be advised especially if a subsequent pregnancy is planned.

Early infant feeding patterns and HIV-free survival: findings from the Kesho-Bora trial (Burkina Faso, Kenya, South Africa)

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between feeding patterns and HIV-free survival in children born to HIV-infected mothers and to clarify whether antiretroviral (ARV) prophylaxis modifies the association.

METHODS

From June 2005 to August 2008, HIV-infected pregnant women were counseled regarding infant feeding options, and randomly assigned to triple-ARV prophylaxis (triple ARV) until breastfeeding cessation (BFC) before age 6 months or antenatal zidovudine with single-dose nevirapine (short-course ARV). Eighteen-month HIV-free survival of infants HIV-negative at 2 weeks of age was assessed by feeding patterns (replacement feeding from birth, BFC <3 months, BFC ≥3 months).

RESULTS

Of the 753 infants alive and HIV-negative at 2 weeks, 28 acquired infection and 47 died by 18 months. Overall HIV-free survival at 18 months was 0.91 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88-0.93]. In the short-course ARV arm, HIV-free survival (0.88; CI: 0.84-0.91) did not differ by feeding patterns. In the triple ARV arm, overall HIV-free survival was 0.93 (CI: 0.90-0.95) and BFC <3 months was associated with lower HIV-free survival than BFC ≥3 months (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.36; CI: 0.15-0.83) and replacement feeding (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.20; CI: 0.04-0.94). In the triple ARV arm, 4 of 9 transmissions occurred after reported BFC (and 5 of 19 in the short-course arm), indicating that some women continued breastfeeding after interruption of ARV prophylaxis.

CONCLUSIONS

In resource-constrained settings, early weaning has previously been associated with higher infant mortality. We show that, even with maternal triple-ARV prophylaxis during breastfeeding, early weaning remains associated with lower HIV-free survival, driven in particular by increased mortality.

Risk factors of HIV-1 vertical transmission (VT) and the influence of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in pregnancy outcome

In the absence of intervention, the rate of vertical transmission of HIV can range from 15-45%. With the inclusion of antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy and the choice of delivery route this amounts to less than 2%. However ARV use during pregnancy has generated several questions regarding the adverse effects of the gestational and neonatal outcome. This study aims to analyze the risk factors for vertical transmission of HIV-1 seropositive pregnant women living in Rio Grande and the influence of the use of ARVs in pregnancy outcome. Among the 262 pregnant women studied the rate of vertical transmission of HIV was found to be 3.8%. Regarding the VT, there was a lower risk of transmission when antiretroviral drugs were used and prenatal care was conducted at the referral service. However, the use of ART did not influence the outcome of pregnancy. However, initiation of prenatal care after the first trimester had an influence on low birth weight, as well as performance of less than six visits increased the risk of prematurity. Therefore, the risk factors analyzed in this study appear to be related to the realization of inadequate pre-natal and maternal behavior.

HIV disease progression in the first year after delivery among African women followed in the HPTN 046 clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Starting lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-infected pregnant women may decrease HIV progression and transmission, but adherence after delivery may be difficult, especially for asymptomatic women. We evaluated disease progression among HIV-infected women not on ART with CD4⁺ lymphocyte counts above 200 cells per microliter at delivery.

METHODS

We analyzed risk of death, progression to AIDS (stage IV or CD4 < 200 cells per microliter), or to CD4⁺ count <350 1 year after delivery among postpartum women enrolled to a prevention of breastfeeding transmission trial using the Kaplan-Meier method. In the primary analysis, women were censored if ART was initiated.

RESULTS

Among 1285 women who were not WHO stage IV or less at 6 weeks postpartum, 49 (4.3%) progressed to stage IV/CD4 <200 cells per microliter or death by 1 year. Progression to CD4 <200 cells per microliter or death occurred among 16 (4.3%) of 441 women with CD4 count of 350-549 cells per microliter and 10 (1.6%) of 713 with CD4 counts >550 cells per microliter at delivery. CD4 <350 cells per microliter by 12 months postpartum occurred among 116 (37.0%) of 350 women with CD4 count 400-549 cells per microliter and 48 (7.4%) of 713 with CD4 count >550 cells per microliter at delivery.

CONCLUSIONS

Progression to AIDS or CD4 count <350 cells per microliter is uncommon through 1 year postpartum for women with CD4 counts over 550 cells per microliter at delivery, but occurred in over one third of those with CD4 counts under 550 cells per microliter. ART should be continued after delivery or breastfeeding among women with CD4 counts <550 cells per microliter if follow-up and antiretroviral adherence can be maintained.

Maternal antiretroviral therapy for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Malawi: maternal and infant outcomes two years after delivery

Background

Optimized preventive strategies are needed to reach the objective of eliminating pediatric AIDS. This study aimed to define the determinants of residual HIV transmission in the context of maternal antiretroviral therapy (ART) administration to pregnant women, to assess infant safety of this strategy, and to evaluate its impact on maternal disease.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A total of 311 HIV-infected pregnant women were enrolled in Malawi in an observational study and received a nevirapine-based regimen from week 25 of gestation until 6 months after delivery (end of breastfeeding period) if their CD4+ count was > 350/mm³ at baseline (n = 147), or indefinitely if they met the criteria for treatment (n. 164). Mother/child pairs were followed until 2 years after delivery. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate HIV transmission, maternal disease progression, and survival at 24 months. The rate of HIV infant infection was 3.2% [95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.0-5.4]. Six of the 8 transmissions occurred among mothers with baseline CD4+ count > 350/mm³. HIV-free survival of children was 85.8% (95% CI 81.4-90.1). Children born to mothers with baseline CD4+ count < 350/mm³ were at increased risk of death (hazard ratio 2.6, 95% CI 1.1-6.1). Among women who had stopped treatment the risk of progression to CD4+ count < 350/mm³ was 20.6% (95% CI 9.2-31.9) by 18 months of drug discontinuation.

Conclusions

HIV transmission in this cohort was rare however, it occurred in a significative proportion among women with high CD4+ counts. Strategies to improve treatment adherence should be implemented to further reduce HIV transmission. Mortality in the uninfected exposed children was the major determinant of HIV-free survival and was associated to maternal disease stage. Given the considerable proportion of women reaching the criteria for treatment within 18 months of drug discontinuation, life-long ART administration to HIV-infected women should be considered.